Chocolate conquers new worlds, from Asia to Brazil

October 28, 2012

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By AGENCE FRANCE PRESSE, Christian Manon, owner of chocolate shop Le Chocolatier Manon, makes chocolates at his shop in Brussels/XINHUAPARIS, Oct 28 – History is coming full circle: borrowed from the Aztecs four centuries ago, perfected for the palate by the Europeans, chocolate is conquering new worlds, with sales booming from Asia to Brazil.

Every second, 95 tonnes of chocolate are wolfed down around the world, or three million tonnes a year, according to figures supplied by the annual Salon du Chocolat fair, which kicks off Wednesday in Paris.

The globalisation of chocolate is most striking in Japan, where annual sales are soaring by 25 percent and French chocolatiers are feted like stars while rheir Japanese counterparts now rank among the world’s best.

“Japan has converted en masse to chocolate in the past decade, with chocolate Salons in seven different cities,” said Francois Jeantet, co-founder of the Paris fair, which has spawned 21 sister events from New York to Shanghai.

For the Salon’s annual fashion show featuring life-sized chocolate dresses, this year’s model is a kimono-inspired number created by French chocolatier Frederic Cassel – who has three stores in Japan.

“We wanted to express Japanese tradition, cherry blossom in the wind,” in the long sleeves with chocolate flowers, said Cassel, who worked to a design by a young fashion student, Audrey Lempeseur.

The 15-kilo edible dress – a month in the making – will be slipped on just moments before the show, lest it should melt under the spotlights.

Afterwards, it will be shipped straight to Japan.

According to Jacques Pessis, president of the highly-serious Chocolate Crunchers’ Club which each year rewards the best world chocolates, France and Japan are the current masters of the game.

“Thirty years ago Belgian and Swiss chocolate ruled the world. These days French chocolate is known the world over. And more and more Japanese chocolatiers, taking their inspiration from the French, are truly excellent.”

Japan aside, chocolate sales are also growing 30 percent year on year in China, while in India – even though one in two Indians have never tasted chocolate – growth is 20 percent, for a treat taken ultra sweet and milky.

“Nearly every country in the world is now part of the chocolate trade, including Asian countries and their colossal potential markets,” said Jeantet and his fellow founder Sylvie Douce.